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SANTA CRUZ -- If you could contribute to research every time you unlocked your smartphone, would you?
A team of students and computer scientists at UC Santa Cruz and Stanford University are hoping you will. They've created an Android application called Twitch that replaces the gesture that smartphone users perform all the time -- swiping a finger across the bottom of the screen to wake it up -- with snappy tasks and questions that provide useful information to researchers.
The app is designed to pioneer a new kind of "crowdsourcing," a concept that involves asking a bunch of people to contribute to a particular task or project by tapping their collective intelligence. Wikipedia's dominance as a publicly contributed trove of online information is one example of crowdsourcing's power.
But existing crowdsourcing technologies take time, said Rajan Vaish, a soft-spoken computer science doctoral student at UC Santa Cruz who is leading the project. "You have to go to your computer or application, browse to a website, log in and wait for it to load," he said. And non-Internet forms of crowdsourcing, such as knocking on doors or catching people in a good mood for a phone survey, take even longer.
Enter Twitch.
"We want people to be able to contribute to crowdsourcing in one to two second bursts -- like when you're waiting for the elevator or waiting for a meeting to start," said Michael Bernstein, an assistant professor of computer science at Stanford University and a leading crowdsourcing researcher who is advising the team.
Much work ahead
While Vaish says the app is still in its early development, he said he hopes Twitch will eventually give researchers deeper insights into issues such as pollution and mental illness. If the app can distinguish whether someone is traveling by train, car, bike or foot, it can assess that person's carbon footprint. If many users tell the app that they feel sad around the holidays, researchers can further understand seasonal mood disorders. That data can then be aggregated into a Google Map and viewed by the public in real time.
"We're trying to capture the pulse of human activity," Bernstein said.
Each time a Twitch user unlocks a smartphone, he or she is asked to answer questions from different categories of tasks.
One category, called Census, asks users about their surroundings and their mood. Questions such as: How many people are around you? What are they wearing? What are you doing? How are you feeling?
"You can see how people feel during exam time on the UCSC campus, for example," Vaish said. "This data can be used by the administration to decrease the stress level of students." Nap pods can be installed in libraries, Vaish said, or student counselors and advisers could be told to spend more time with students.
Information source
The data can also provide users with information that may affect their commute, social activities and jobs. For instance, if a woman waiting in line for an Americano at her favorite cafe reaches for her phone to pass the time, the app may ask her how many people are nearby. If she selects the box suggesting that it's crowded, that information can be uploaded to the app's Google Maps page that can tell someone else whether that location is a good spot to grab a quick cup of coffee.
Another category, called Photo Ranking, presents a group of images relating to a theme -- nature panoramas, for example -- and asks the user to select the most appealing image. The selected images file into larger databases relating to that theme, which helps computer recognition software classify them. If a computer needs to recognize a photo of flowers, for instance, the application weeds out the best images of flowers for the computer to use.
Last spring, Bernstein had approached Vaish with his idea for the new app. They, along with Stanford student Brandon Cheung, massaged the concept into an actual application. Shortly after, Keith Wyngarden, a computer science undergraduate at Stanford, linked and compiled all of the data the app was producing and polished the final version of the app.
But first, they needed to ensure that users could perform meaningful tasks without becoming distracted. They also need to confirm that the tasks took no more mental energy and time than it takes to perform a normal "slide-to-unlock" gesture on an Android phone.
In the summer, the team asked a group of people to use their phones while walking. Users were shown a sequence of letters on the screen that were randomly interrupted by Twitch tasks. After completing the task, participants were asked to recall previous letters.
It takes just seconds
It turned out that users remembered the letters correctly, which was surprising to Vaish. They also found that most could complete Twitch tasks within one to three seconds, consistent with the time it normally takes to unlock an Android phone. The application was no more distracting and time-consuming than a normal "slide-to-unlock" gesture.
Asked by the Sentinel to test the application, a small group of Android owners had mixed reactions.
Jeffrey P. Bigham, an associate professor of computer science at Carnegie Mellon University, said he was excited about the app's utility: "Twitch effortlessly crowdsources a particular kind of expertise that has been difficult to get -- that is, expertise from people in a particular place."
Cassie Davenport, a teacher in the Pajaro Valley Unified School District, said she found the application easy to use and that it wasn't distracting. But the app's unclear research goals made her uneasy: "If I knew what the purpose was, I would be more inclined to use it. But because I don't fully understand why I am answering these questions, I don't know if I would keep (the application installed) on my phone."
And therein lies the conflict: In order for researchers to gain information about people's lives, they have to ask them. And some people aren't willing to blindly give up that information without knowing exactly how it will be used.
Second version in works
As of now, the app is still young. The developers are working on the second version. Eventually, they hope Twitch will contribute to larger goals, such as helping visually impaired users by labeling images of their surroundings.
The app is currently available only on Android smartphones, and can be accessed via Google Play. The team eventually hopes it can offer the app on the iPhone, but for now Apple's tight controls on its unlocking screen is preventing the team from doing that.
Still, the researchers hope the app has the potential to make big impacts -- with the simple swipe of a finger.


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The 7 Biggest On-Screen Gentlemen of All Time
The modern understanding of the term "gentleman" is a man of high social status or one with a chivalrous attitude who is proper, polite and respectful around others. Although women may complain that gentlemen are hard to find, the world of cinema is full of them. Both classic and modern films have dished out plenty of classy characters worthy of the title of gentleman. From James Bond to Yip Man, these seven men make women swoon and inspire men to take notes.
James Bond From the "James Bond" Film Series
James Bond, a British Secret Service agent, who goes by the code number 007, is a classic on-screen gentleman who is best known for liking his martini "shaken, not stirred." The character first appeared in the film "Dr. No" in 1962, and the on-going film series portrays Bond as a well-dressed, polite man who drives stylish cars and always gets the girl. Over the years, he has been played by a number of off-screen gentlemen including Sean Connery, Pierce Brosnan and Daniel Craig.
Bruce Wayne From the "Batman" Movies
Although he is a caped crusader by night, by day Bruce Wayne is the perfect picture of a gentleman. As the heir to Wayne Enterprises, Bruce is a high-status individual whose closest friend is his butler. Although he is portrayed as more of a playboy than a gentleman in some films, audiences cannot forget the class that George Clooney's Bruce Wayne brought to the silver screen in "Batman & Robin."
Rhett Butler From "Gone With the Wind"
For many, Rhett Butler is the iconic gentleman, and his portrayal by real-life gentleman Clark Gable is all the more appealing. From his first appearance in the film, Rhett proves himself to be intelligent, courteous and interesting. Although the beautiful Scarlett first views him as cynical, she realizes that he is a true gentleman when he rescues Scarlett and her family from a Union troop siege of Atlanta. The character of Rhett Butler, with his slicked-back hair and pencil mustache, is the perfect example of an on-screen gentleman.
Rick Blaine From "Casablanca"
This movie gentleman's adventurous attitude and high status have made him a picture of class for generations. Rick Blaine is an exiled American who owns a popular nightspot in Casablanca. Rick, portrayed by Humphrey Bogart, is rarely seen without a tasteful suit and bow tie, and his affection for his love interest Ilsa is an inspiration for moviegoers of every age.
Jay Gatsby From "The Great Gatsby"
The title character from the 2013 film is the ideal gentleman, and the film centers on the mystery that surrounds him. Jay Gatsby is a man of high social standing who throws regular parties at his luxurious mansion, and those who meet the elusive man find him to be classy, charming and exceptionally polite. It is soon revealed that there is more to this gentleman than meets the eye as he tries to woo the love of his life back to him. Due to Gatsby's kind nature and unexpected quirks, audiences find themselves rooting for the character almost immediately. Jay Gatsby is elegantly portrayed by Leonardo DiCaprio, who is notorious for playing high-class gentlemen.
Danny Ocean From "Ocean's Eleven" and Subsequent Sequels
Former U.S. Army sergeant Danny Ocean exudes the charm of a gentleman even as he plans elaborate robberies with other former soldiers. Danny is friendly, collected and charismatic, and he is both loving and devoted to his wife Tess. He always keeps up an impeccable appearance, and he adheres to a strict code of conduct, making him a true gentleman of the criminal world. Frank Sinatra was the original Danny Ocean, but George Clooney keeps it classy as the modern version.
Yip Man From "Ip Man"
In the film, Yip Man is a martial artist of high class in 1935 south China, and he is characterized by his courteous treatment of everyone around him, especially his wife. After Japan invades China, he continues to act like a gentleman even when his family is forced into poverty. The character is based on the real-life Yip Man, the first martial arts master to teach Wing Chun, and the mentor to Bruce Lee.
Most on-screen gentlemen are characterized by fashionable suits, well-kept hair and an air of confidence, but their courteous attitude and respect for others, particularly women, are some of their defining attributes. These characters have charmed audiences again and again, but they would never reach this status without the talented, classy actors who portray them.

subset: commoncrawl


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ELK GROVE TOWNSHIP, ILLINOIS -- My United plane fare from Roanoke, VA, to San Francisco, CA, cost in excess of $700.00 round trip. The United Express flight from Roanoke was delayed 3 hours (told maintenance problems in plane coming from Wash., DC.). It finally arrived, picked up passengers, flew out of Roanoke, and arrived in DC where it sat on the tarmac until disembarking about 5 minutes before my connecting flight (United Airlines) took off to San Francisco. Needless to say the next flight (around 7:00 p. m.) was totally booked, so I had to book a later flight which would arrive in San Francisco around 12:30 a. m., 4 hours after originally scheduled. This was a total delay for me of 7 HOURS!
Knowing I would not have a ride from the airport at 12:30 in the morning, I asked a counter ticket agent if they would provide transportation to my hotel in San Francisco and was first told a flat "NO". When asked why not since it was the airlines fault, I was told to check after getting into San Francisco. Since this would be too late to check on, I had to make other arrangements. And, of course, my luggage left on the 7:00 P.M. flight to San Francisco. Luckily, it was waiting on me when I arrived at 12:30 A.M.
My return trip from San Francisco to Chicago (United Airlines) was pretty much on time; however, my United Express flight from Chicago to Roanoke was delayed an hour (another delay) and arrived in Roanoke around 11:30 P.M. instead of 10:30 P.M. as scheduled. In addition, after a long walk to Concourse B22A to catch the flight out of Chicago, it was announced that the flight had been changed to leave out of Concourse F, another long walk. Of course, my luggage did not make it out of Chicago because of the change and was not delivered to my home until 3:00 P.M. the next day even though it was scheduled to arrive on the 10:30 A.M. flight from Chicago.
The only reason I flew United was to connect with another couple who were also flying United and would arrive in San Francisco 15 minutes before my flight was due. This way, I could ride with them to my hotel; and, as you can see this did not happen. Would I ever fly United again? Maybe... WHEN PIGS FLY!
NEWARK, NEW JERSEY -- I bought United Airlines ticket to fly to Des Moines. I arrived at terminal C and was checked in for flight 4398. At ticketing station, they told me that gate number is not available yet. I went through security checkpoint. It took me 45 min to go through security and while looking for gates, terminal given for flight was terminal A. I ran to catch train to get terminal A but I had already missed the flight. I went to ticketing counter at terminal A United Express. I explained to ticketing counter agent and she was so rude and started saying that I could be lying and there is no proof that I was at terminal C.
I showed her my checked in baggage claim. She said that I have to pay extra to replace ticket or other flight is at 7.35 pm and she cannot do anything. I was on verge of crying for observing her such bad demeanor. I asked for manager and manager Carlos said same thing. I told him that her employee had bad attitude and showed no respect for customers. I asked for representative name, he ignored me completely. He gave me no other option and gave me ticket for 7.35pm. I spent whole day at airport.
Such a company can never survive for giving pain to its customers and got showing no respect. I never thought of discrimination but this thought came in my mind that I am not white that's why I am treated so bad here. I believe that people who does wrong and say liar to their customers, bad karma will come to them soon.
I traveled from Portland Oregon to Dayton Ohio, and although I arrived at my destination, my bag stayed in Chicago Illinois much like the rest of my fellow passengers. I immediately went and opened a complaint with the service department and was informed that two more flights were scheduled to arrive that day. I waited until the first flight arrived and contacted customer service. At that time I was notified that my bag had arrived on a later flight and was due to me within a four hour window.
I waited at my location patiently for my luggage but after the four hours had passed, and still no call, I contacted customer service yet again. I was told this time I would be called within a thirty minute time frame for an update. After an hour had passed I called yet again, and this time I was told I would receive a call within an hour. I'm a firm believer in Frontier Airlines and have always felt like I was taken care of. I will never attempt to fly United again because of this experience.
DURHAM, NORTH CAROLINA -- I always fly American, but when booking this trip United (actually United Express) was less expensive (not by a huge amount) so booked there. The flight there even though we booked a couple months in advance we were seated in last row (so can't recline seat) across from lavatory. A close to 2 hour flight but no snack. Did not know this so was grumpy.
Flight back to check in there is a HUGE line for all United economy passengers. Although about 10 spaces for checking in, only 3 people working. When I get to the head and hand the clerk the itinerary, she hands back my information informing me that she doesn't work for the airline, have to do it self serve (WTF?).
So do it through the kiosk, and only spits out 1 boarding pass. Original clerk - not her problem. Have to wait in another line for male clerk who is too busy chatting with another employee to help customers. No mention of delay. Get to gate. Not only plane delayed for 1 1/2 hours, our flight changes gates 3 times! No announcements with each change, just have to keep getting up to check otherwise would have missed flight.
Pretty much every flight in that hub (United flights) were all delayed, so seems like a systemic problem. Oh yes, a 0 bag limit. If you check any bags it is $15 (or more) each way so that negated any savings I had on ticket. Will be avoiding United Express from now on.
SAN FRANCISCO, CA, CALIFORNIA -- Beware a United Express agent called ** who delighted in closing the gate when I said my husband was coming up behind me. Her colleague went to see if anyone was running down the corridor; she said no one was. I went to look and saw my husband lumbering along. I never yell, but I yelled out to him to hurry as they were closing the door. ** had already disappeared through the door, and as I yelled, her colleague, who turned out to be her supervisor (!!!) and equally ignorant of customer service, quickly slipped through the door.
I couldn't believe it! It was the rudest thing I've seen in countless travel miles. The door was effectively slammed in our face 5 minutes before departure. It was done in a manner of "We'll show you who's got the upper hand round here!"
I would like to compliment the airline stewardess on the flight from the Quad Cities to Denver on October 4, 2010. It was flight #6203 at 2:49pm. She was the only attendant and she was amazing. Her speech was clear. She was cheerful and super attentive. She really stood out as the best flight attendant I've ever had. Unfortunately, I do not remember her name, but I just want to comment on the great service!
ALLENTOWN, PENNSYLVANIA -- On December 16, 2008, I was flying standby on flight UA6998 from Allentown to Dulles Wash. Only six revenue passengers were at gate side at 5:15 A.M. for the 6:00 A.M. Departure. Passengers boarded and no standby passengers were called. The aircraft door closed, leaving me behind with over 25 seats open - still open on the flight.
NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE -- My parents boarded the United Express 7266 plane on 01/25/2006. It was connecting flight for AIR INDIA international flight up to Delhi, INDIA. We spent $3000/- in total from Nashville to Delhi, INDIA. We got the worst experience of our life with United Express 7266 booking clerk. She didn't have knowledge at all, rude, arrogant and very low quality of service. It seemed to me that she was in a wrong profession. She was not suitable for a public dealing job. Seems like United Airlines/United Express is compromising on quality to save money or to come out of bankruptcy. She did 3 things:
1) She said we can't take more than 50 pounds now in the international flight. She didn't care to see that this policy change was done in September, 2005 and we had booked tickets in July, 2005. I had to request to her to look into that.
2) She said that United Express flight 7266 is delayed by 45 minutes and United Express flight is not responsible for their stay in Chicago if they miss their connecting flight. I found out later that Flight 7266 wasn't delayed due to weather and actually it was the responsibility of United Airlines to take care of that. She told me instead that I should have taken care to booking the flight and giving more than 2 hours gap. She didn't care to see that actually there was 2 hours gap, though it is not the responsibility of the passenger because it is connecting flight and all the tickets were bought that way i.e. together.
3) Finally this was the last straw. She said that my parents who are old 68 and 61 yrs will have to get their bags in Germany, Frankfurt in some alien country, where they have not even stayed and go through customs and check them back again. This was the most ridiculous thing I have ever heard.
4) When I asked this girl to stop giving us hard time, she proudly said that she can turn me away if she wants (like she owned the United Airlines).
5) When we asked for the supervisor, she told me that supervisor was not available. What kind of airlines or for that matter any business will not have their supervisor not available. Worst quality in airlines - United Airlines/United Express. I Am never going to fly with them again. I spent 3000 dollars for this service.


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Oil prices are on the rise as the euro soars in a sign that traders believe the worst may be over in Europe and the Fed will continue to be accommodative. WTI soared on economic optimism and the expectations on a return to higher run rates on the all-important Seaway pipeline. The dollar is showing a bit of weakness as the market does not expect to upset the QE applecart in today's statement. In Egypt things are falling apart for the Muslim brotherhood and the geopolitical risk is high. Still let's face it we already have priced in a significant amount of risk.
Bloomberg is reporting that one of Egypt's main opposition leaders called for talks with the government and military aimed at ending a wave of deadly clashes, after President Mohamed Mursi signaled a softening of emergency measures. "Ending the violence is a priority," Mohamed ElBaradei said on his Twitter account. He said Mursi, his defense and interior ministers and Islamist and opposition parties should attend the meeting to discuss "urgent measures" after at least 50 people were killed in the past week and the defense minister warned the state's authority was in danger of collapsing.
Bloomberg reports that United Nations special envoy Lakhdar Brahimi offered the grimmest picture yet of Syria's descent into chaos, leaving little doubt that diplomatic paths have been exhausted as the conflict drags on indefinitely. Syria is unraveling before the eyes of the world, Brahimi told the UN Security Council yesterday, according to an account provided by two UN officials who asked to not be named because the meeting was closed to the public. The regime of President Bashar al-Assad has defied forecasts of imminent collapse and is surviving with no end in sight, even though its legitimacy has been irrevocably lost, said the two officials.
Seaway caused a big rally then drop and a rally again. Bloomberg news quoting a Morgan Stanley analyst reported that a last week transformer outage shut the pipeline draining crude from Jones Creek storage tanks, partly because this coincided with maintenance at Phillips 66's Sweeny, Texas refinery that could have otherwise acted as a safety valve. This meant less crude was drained southwards Enterprise's Seaway pipeline from congested storage tanks at Cushing, Okla., the delivery point for Nymex WTI crude. The Sweeny refinery usually uses heavier crudes, so congestion at Cushing will linger through 1H13, MS says. Maintenance of crude units at Wood River, Ill., refinery in Feb. to also keep congestion at Cushing, MS says.
RBOB Gasoline is on its best run since 2009 as refining issues and the Sale by Hess of terminals and its getting out of the refining business continues to drive this market higher. Bloomberg news reports that Philadelphia Energy Solutions will shut the Girard Point section of its plant, the largest near the harbor, this month for 60 days of work. A fluid catalytic cracker at Delta Airlines Inc.'s Trainer, Pennsylvania, refinery has been shut for repairs since December.
Valero Energy Corp. plans five weeks of work on a crude unit at its McKee refinery in Sunray, Texas, in April and a refinery-wide turnaround at its Quebec plant the same month, the company said in an e-mailed statement. The company said previously it planned a four-week turnaround at McKee to start in March. The 170,000-barrel-a-day McKee plant can process oil from fields in Texas and the U.S. Midwest, as well as receive crude from the Cushing, Oklahoma, storage hub. The plant-wide work at the 235,000-barrel-a-day Quebec City facility will last for nine weeks. It was originally scheduled for the first quarter, according to Valero's second-quarter earnings call. The Corpus Christi refinery's West plant shut a 90,000- barrel-a-day heavy oil cracker this month for eight weeks. Valero's Texas City, Texas, plant shut its 83,500-barrel-a-day fluid catalytic cracker earlier this month for six weeks of work. The San Antonio company has 16 refineries in North America and Europe with a total processing capacity of about 3 million barrels a day, according to Valero's website.


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DIY Giving: 8 Gifts Kids Can Make Themselves
Looking for a way to save some money this holiday season? Check out these fun and heartfelt gifts that kids can make themselves.Download All (8)
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Pet Presents: Homemade Dog BiscuitsView Full Activity
Homemade dog treats are fun to make and delicious for your household pet. Make homemade dog treats to create personal Christmas gifts for dogs.
Make Chocolate Dipped Spoons!View Full Activity
Make chocolate dipped spoons with your child this holiday season. Chocolate dipped spoons make great gifts for friends and family, and they are simple to make.
Homemade Gifts: Make Snowman Soup!View Full Activity
Snowman soup is an extra special kind of hot chocolate. Make some snowman soup with your child, and let him practice measuring and mixing this holiday season.
Create Edible Holiday Cards!View Full Activity
Want to go paperless this holiday season? Here's a delicious way to get your third grader started (and practice some writing in the process!)
Christmas Snow GlobeView Full Activity
This homemade snow globe is fun for kids who are excited about the arrival of winter. Kids can complete this snow globe craft quickly and easily.
Make a Holiday Cookie "Kit"View Full Activity
Practice third and fourth grade measurement skills and make a practical holiday gift in the process!
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Make Holiday Cookie CanistersView Full Activity
Explore measurement with your second grader and make this terrific holiday craft.
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text: Gillian Ferris Kohl Keeping Kids Connected With Their Jailed Parents By Gillian Ferris Kohl • Jul 18, 2012 Arizona has one of the highest incarceration rates in the country, and that means it also has one of the highest percentages of children with one or both parents in jail. One rural county there is trying to help families stay connected. On a recent day, 45-year-old Liz Minor sits in the shade outside a coffeehouse in Flagstaff, enjoying icy drinks with her two sons. She relishes this ordinary moment, considering that just a few years ago, their time together was limited to a prison visiting room, separated by shatterproof glass. Stubborn As A Mule's Knot: Massaging Ornery Beasts By Gillian Ferris Kohl • Mar 9, 2012 The famous pack mules that carry supplies and people in and out of the Grand Canyon have back pain, as you might imagine. One man is on a mission to make the lives of these beasts of burden a little less painful. When Rene Noriega retired a few years ago after a long career as a Border Patrol agent, he took what, for him, was the next natural step.


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What difference does a sunrise or sunset make in your mood and which one do you prefer?
Write Now! video writing prompts are tools for educators and students to use in the classroom to encourage creative writing. The topics covered in these clips are general/social topics that challenge students to evaluate common day occurrences or items in different ways. Presented by WLVT PBS 39 and PSEA.
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U.S. health officials confirmed Thursday the fungus Exserohilum rostratum was detected in unopened vials of a preservative-free steroid linked to meningitis.
"This laboratory confirmation further links steroid injections -- methylprednisolone acetate -- from the three lots from the New England Compounding Center to the multistate outbreak of fungal meningitis and joint infections," the CDC website said. "Testing on the other two implicated lots of methylprednisolone acetate and other NECC injectable medications continues.
"Fungal meningitis -- confirmed in 47 patients -- is not contagious and the CDC confirmed Exserohilum rostratum in clinical specimens for all but two of these patients. Of the other two patients, one has been found to be infected with Aspergillus fumigatus and one with Cladosporium. These fungi are common in the environment but rarely cause meningitis."
The CDC said the fungal meningitis was linked to 20 deaths and 257 illnesses.
Federal investigators also acknowledged they are investigating the Massachusetts pharmacy linked to 19 meningitis deaths.
Carmen M. Ortiz, U.S. attorney for the District of Massachusetts, said in a statement: "I can confirm that this office and our law enforcement partners are investigating allegations concerning the NECC. I think that it is entirely premature to suggest what the results of the investigation will be."
Investigators, including from the Drug Enforcement Agency and the Food and Drug Administration, raided the NECC's Framingham, Mass., offices Tuesday. They gave no details about what they found or what type of case they may pursue against the compounding company.
Officials believe the outbreak was caused by the steroid methylprednisolone acetate contaminated with a fungus. The drug, used in spinal injections for back and neck pain, was produced by the NECC, which shipped more than 17,000 vials of it to 23 states.
Meningitis, an inflammation of the protective membranes covering the brain and spinal cord, can damage blood vessels in the brain and cause devastating strokes. The incubation period for fungal meningitis can run longer than a month.
Ortiz's statement came on the heels of U.S. Rep. Edward Markey, D-Mass., calling on the Department of Justice to investigate the NECC for possible controlled substance violations.
In a letter to U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder, Markey asked the agency to investigate the compounding pharmacy to see if the NECC violated federal law and was subject to enforcement action beyond any violations it might be subject to at the state level.
"Drug Enforcement Administration regulations state retail pharmacies that compound or sell controlled substances must be registered with the agency and are only permitted to sell compounds containing controlled substances directly to patients in response to a patient-specific prescription unless the pharmacy is registered with the DEA as a manufacturer/supplier," Markey said in a statement.
The DEA told Markey's office the NECC was not registered with the DEA as a manufacturer/supplier, and media reports indicated the center appeared to have been distributing compound drugs that were not associated with a patient-specific prescription to healthcare facilities, Markey said.
"This is a matter that I believe requires further investigation by the DEA to ensure that this facility, already believed to have broken Massachusetts state law, has not also skirted federal law related to controlled substances," Markey wrote in the letter.
"The types of medications being compounded by the New England Compounding Center included controlled substances such as cocaine, morphine and ketamine and require the highest level of federal oversight," Markey said in separate comments.
There have been no reports of further product contamination except for the contaminated steroids from the NECC, but the pharmacy announced Oct. 6 it was voluntarily recalling all products currently in circulation that were compounded at and distributed from its facility in Framingham.
"This action is being taken out of an abundance of caution due to the potential risk of contamination, and in cooperation with an investigation being conducted by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Massachusetts Board of Registration in Pharmacy," the NECC said.
A congressional report completed in June said a contributing factor to the injectable drug shortage was a provision of the Medicare Modernization Act of 2003 -- Medicare Part D -- that dramatically reduced the prices paid by Medicare for many generic injectable medications, particularly older generics. This resulted in a growing market concentration with fewer drug manufacturers producing injectable medications and treatments.
The congressional report found FDA regulatory activity effectively shut down 30 percent of the total manufacturing capacity at four of America's largest producers of generic injectable medications: Bedford Laboratories, Hospira Pharmaceuticals, Sandoz Pharmaceuticals and Teva Pharmaceuticals.
In 2009, when Margaret Hamburg became FDA commissioner, she stepped up drug manufacturer inspections and enforcement. Inspectors found weevils floating in vials of heparin, morphine cartridges with twice the labeled dose, human hair and fungal growth in vials, rusty tools, mold in production areas and a barrel of urine, The New York Times reported.
Between 2009 and 2010 the number of warning letters sent by the agency increased 42 percent, and between 2010 and 2011 the number of warning letters sent by the FDA increased an additional 156 percent. In many cases, warning letters resulted in companies agreeing to take manufacturing offline to address FDA concerns, the congressional report said.
As a result of the enforcement, several of the drug manufacturers said they invested hundreds of millions to upgrade facilities -- some dating to the 1970s -- or built new plants. Teva said it spent $375 million for improvements and reopened its factory in Irvine, Calif., but has not yet resumed full production, the Times said.
Regulators and drug manufacturers noted most sterile injectables such as chemotherapy drugs and anti-seizure drugs sold in the United States were safe and of high quality, The Times said.
Two other drugs made by NECC have also been linked to the outbreak, the FDA said. They are triamcinolone, another steroid used in spinal injections, and cardioplegia, used in open-heart surgery.
The U.S. Department of Health and Social Services' Section of Epidemiology Wednesday urged six Alaska healthcare providers to contact more than 840 patients for possible infection in the growing deadly outbreak. No cases have so far been identified in Alaska, KTUU-TV, Anchorage, reported.
© 2012 United Press International, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
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When I saw the press release, I immediately forwarded it to my 11-year-old niece, Mandy Davis.
TV Dance Sensation Kendall Glover to Appear
at FOX 10 Dance Day Benefiting Phoenix Children's
New Family-Friendly Fundraising Event Boasts
Great Entertainment and Fun for Everyone
Mandy attends the same school as Kendall, who propelled herself into the national arena with spectacular solo performances and a second-place finish in the CBS dance competition program "Live to Dance." Like many of her classmates, Mandy has followed Kendall's career closely. She even got a hug from "Live to Dance" judge Paula Abdul, who came to Phoenix to make the big announcement during a school assembly that Kendall had made it to the finals.
Mandy and I were texting each other excitedly the the night Kendall performed in the finals.
When I learned about the PCH event, which is happening from 10am to 4pm on Saturday, July 30, at Jobing.com Arena, I asked Mandy if she'd like to help me interview Kendall. "That would be awesome!" she replied.
Teri Lane, director of the Children's Miracle Network and corporate development officer at the Phoenix Children's Hospital Foundation, put me in touch with Kendall's mom, Ann Glover. I wrote her an email, and very quickly received her gracious response: "Kendall is so excited to work with you on the Raising Arizona Kids/Phoenix Children's Hospital article. She is a busy girl, but is really a homebody at heart and loves doing things for her community, too."
Kendall was going to be teaching dance classes at a Salvation Army day camp for kids the next week, so we met her there, observed as she taught the class and then, with the help of staff multimedia journalist Vicki Balint, recorded an interview from a list of questions Mandy and I prepared by sending our suggestions back and forth to each other by email.
Yesterday, Vicki invited us to her home office, where she does the magical work of mixing audio for RAK Podcasts and editing stories for RAK Video. A natural teacher, she talked to Mandy about how she crafts stories in digital media. She explained what the squiggly lines meant on the screen. ("See that, where it's flat? That's where there's a lull because Karen paused after she said 'um.'") She let Mandy select the audio and video clips that would work best for each story. And then — the really cool part — she let Mandy pick the music soundtracks that would introduce and exit the podcast.
Mandy and I will be sharing our podcast and video in the weeks leading up to the PCH event. We're also putting together a print story for the magazine's September performing arts issue and an extended podcast to accompany that. So I don't want to give away too much about the fun time we had with Kendall. But consider yourself warned: You will laugh, you will be inspired and you'll definitely be tapping your toes.


text: Versa Electronics is the experienced supply chain partner for all your electronic manufacturing needs. We offer the advantages and capabilities of a large-scale manufacturer to client partners with small- and medium-size projects. From surface-mount, through-hole or mixed technology circuit board and wire harness assemblies to device subassembly and complete product build, Versa delivers quality electronic products for original equipment manufacturers on time and on budget.


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|Santa Barbara, Calif.
|High School:
|Laguna Blanca
AS A SOPHOMORE IN 2010: Played in 10 sets, tallying a kill vs. UC Riverside (Aug. 28) and one dig vs. San Diego (Nov. 11).
AS A FRESHMAN IN 2009: Did not see action in any matches.
AT LAGUNA BLANCA: A 2009 graduate of Laguna Blanca High School ... coached by Jason Donnelly (volleyball), Gregg Luna (soccer) and Mike Bierman (softball) ... with volleyball team was named MVP, Most Consistent player and team captain her senior year; and with soccer team was named Most Improved ... also won the Poly invitational Girls Volleyball All-Tournament award in 2008 ... team was CIF Champs in 2006 and finished as the runner-up in 2005 and '07 ... played club volleyball with Santa Barbara Volleyball Club where she was team captain of 16s team when she played for Ed Gover ... in 2008 team was led by Courtney Preston and Kenny Preston - who coached Bronco head coach Jon Wallace at UC Santa Barbara as a collegiate.
PERSONAL: Daughter of Ross and Debra Borden ... has three older siblings: Becky, Ross and Bill ... father graduated from USC and mother graduated from Arizona ... active in community with Operation Smile and National Charity League ... major is communication.
Why Santa Clara? "It was definitely the most beautiful campus I saw on my college trips. The feeling I got when I went on my first tour was 'Wow! I could definitely see myself living and playing here!' I knew from that point that Santa Clara was my first choice. Once I got to the know the coaches, I became even more excited about becoming a Bronco!"


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Anna Paquin & Stephen Moyer: ArcLight Lovebirds
Anna Paquin and hubby Stephen Moyer holds hands while spending the afternoon at ArcLight Cinemas on Friday (October 29) in Hollywood.
Looks like Stephen suffered an injury — he was sporting a walking boot on his right foot.
The True Blood co-stars won't be the only newlyweds on the hit HBO show. Joe Manganiello proposed to his girlfriend Audra Marie and Mariana Klaveno is getting married, too!
"Sorry I've been out of touch for a few days — been busy getting engaged!!!" Mariana recently tweeted. "Need to get the record straight- I'm engaged to Luis Patino, the UCLA law school student, not Luis Patino the True Blood producer."
10+ pictures inside of Anna Paquin and Stephen Moyer at the movies in Hollywood…


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Of the local issues facing Lancaster County Panhandle residents, none seem to stir passions quite like one in particular – incorporation.
With two such efforts in the works, one for Van Wyck, the other for Indian Land, and vocal opposition to the latter, District 7 Lancaster County Councilman Brian Carnes is sponsoring a forum on the issue May 9 at Transformation Church, 8978 Charlotte Highway.
Doors open at 6:30 p.m. and the forum begins at 7 p.m. sharp.
Tuesday's GOP primary results in the 5th District congressional race couldn't have been much closer.
For top finishers Ralph Norman and Tommy Pope, it was a virtual stalemate. Each got 30 percent of the vote, with Pope ending up 118 votes ahead of Norman in the unofficial results to set up the May 16 runoff.
The key to victory is going to be a fast start, said Sandy McGarry, Lancaster Republican Party chairwoman.
Lancaster City Council has unanimously approved a two-year contract to share jail services with the Lancaster County Sheriff's Office because the cells at the Municipal Justice Center are outdated.
The contract's annual fee will be $54,480, roughly what the city has been spending on jail services.
The agreement, approved by city council April 25, will now go to Lancaster County Council for a vote. If approved, the contract will begin July 1 and end June 30, 2019.
S.C. Rep. Tommy Pope and Rock Hill businessman Ralph Norman will meet in a May 16 runoff to determine who will represent the Republican Party in the special election for the open 5th District congressional seat.
The winner will face Democrat Archie Parnell of Sumter, along with candidates Josh Kulma (Green Party), Victor Kocher (Libertarian Party), Josh Thornton (American Party) and Bill Bledsoe (Constitution Party) in the June 20 special election to fill the remainder of Mick Mulvaney's term in the U.S. House.
The chairman of the Lancaster County Republican Party is stepping down due a conflict of interest with his new job.
Allen Blackmon submitted his resignation to party officials Monday after he was appointed associate municipal court judge for the city of Lancaster.
The S.C. Judicial Department's Code on Judicial Conduct bars judges from taking an active role in politics.
"With my new job, I don't have a choice," Blackmon said.
INDIAN LAND – A portion of Tuesday night's 5th Congressional District forum disintegrated into a verbal free-for-all when audience members started shouting down candidates trying to answer a question about President Trump's first 100 days in office.
The 90-minute forum at Cross Ridge was hosted by the Indian Land Action Council and moderated by school board member Melvin Stroble. It was the last multi-candidate forum scheduled before before next week's special election primaries.
Party: Republican.
Age: 54.
Residence: York.
Family: Wife, Kim. Four children, one grandchild.
Education: Graduated from Rock Hill High School in 1980 and the S.C. Criminal Justice Academy in 1983. Received a bachelor's degree in business from the University of South Carolina in 1984 and a USC law degree in 1987.
Employment: Attorney, Elrod Pope Law Firm. Former SLED agent and 16th Circuit solicitor. Prosecuted Susan Smith for murder in 1995 for the drowning death of her two children.
Party: Democrat.
Age: 66.
Residence: Sumter.
Family: Wife, Sarah. Daughters, Julia and Lydia.
Education: Graduated from Edmunds High School in Sumter in 1968. He received his undergraduate degree from the University of South Carolina in 1971 and his law degree from USC in 1974.
Employment: Retired. Worked as a senior adviser on tax law for the Wall Street financial firm Goldman Sachs.
Civic involvement: Treasurer at St. Stephen's Chapel (Anglican), 2003-07.
Political experience: None.
Top issues:
Party: Republican.
Age: 63.
Residence: Rock Hill.
Family: Elaine R. Norman, wife of 42 years, whose family is from Lancaster. They have a son, three daughters and 15 grandchildren.
Education: Graduated from Rock Hill High School in 1971. Received bachelor's degree in business from Presbyterian College in 1975.
Employment: President, Warren Norman & Co., real estate development firm.
Party: Democrat.
Age: 40.
Residence: Fort Mill.
Family: Children Alaysha and Greylin.
Education: Graduated in 1994 from Madisonville North Hopkins High School in Madisonville, Ky. Received a bachelor's degree from the University of Phoenix in 2007 and an MBA from Walden University in 2009. Received federal veteran service officer training from the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs.
Copyright © 2018
The Lancaster News is your source for local news, sports, events, and information in Lancaster County and Lancaster, South Carolina, and the surrounding area..


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Show Days
"Pre-Show Courses" are one- or two-day, in-depth educational courses on various industry topics. Offered prior to the start of IBS, they also apply credit toward earning or renewing an NAHB designation. Separate registration is required, but can be done in conjunction with your IBS registration; additional fees apply.
"Education – Full registration required" includes all IBS education sessions, which are grouped according to track in addition to type; a full registration or one-day education registration is required to attend. Building Knowledge and Spotlight sessions are 1 hour or 1.5 hours; Builder Clinic sessions are 1 hour; Tech Bytes sessions are 20-30 minutes; Master sessions are 3 hours; and the Plan Review is 3 hours.
"Education – Open to all registration types" includes education programs in the Centrals or talks and demonstrations on the exhibit floor that are open to all registration types, including expo-only. Some programs may require separate registration and/or additional fees; see individual session details.
"Events" includes programs during the Show focused on interacting and networking with your building industry colleagues. Separate registration and/or additional fees may apply; see individual event details.
View all Speakers and Instructors
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Perfect Polygons
Lesson 4 of 17
Objective: SWBAT construct regular hexagons, quadrilaterals, and triangles inscribed in a circle. Students will understand how the symmetry of a regular polygon is related to the symmetry of a circle.
Big Idea: Constructing polygons inscribed in a circle allows students to experience first-hand the many congruences of a regular polygon. Besides, its fun!
Lesson Open
Team Warm-up
Using the Slide Show, I display the warm-up prompt for the lesson as the bell rings. The prompt asks: Is it ever possible for a quadrilateral to fit inside a circle so that all four vertices lie on the circle? I push students to explain their answer (MP3). Plausible reasoning is fine at this point, since we have yet to learn formal proof.
The warm-up is an advance organizer for the lesson, which concerns constructions of inscribed polygons. It is also a good check for understanding: do students remember vocabulary like "quadrilateral" and "vertex", and do they see that the circle must intersect the 4 vertices of the polygon. Since the activity follows our Team Warm-up routine, with students sharing their answers and a randomly selected scribe writing the team's answer on the front board, this gives students an opportunity to learn from one another. Students write their answers in their Learning Journals.
As I review the team answers, I look for answers that show students recognize that the question applies to any quadrilateral, not just the one pictured alongside the prompt. At least one team should recognize that a regular quadrilateral is likely to fit inside a circle in the manner described.
Displaying the Agenda and Learning Targets, I tell the class: When a circle intersects all the vertices of a polygon, the circle is said to "circumscribe the polygon". The polygon is "inscribed in" the circle. As you have guessed, regular polygons--those with congruent sides and angles--can always be inscribed in a circle. Why? It is all about symmetry.
Resources (5)
The goal of this activity is not just to teach a construction, but for students to analyze the symmetry of a regular polygon. There are many congruences: not just between the sides and angles of the polygon, but also between the various segments and angles that "come up" in the construction (MP7).
This activity also gives students another opportunity to apply the concept that we can only be sure that objects are congruent by superimposing one onto the other (MP6). This can be done using tracing paper or a compass--or by folding the construction (MP5). The focus is on examining the congruence of the parts of the figure (MP7).
I plan to assign problems #1 and #3, saving problems #2 and #4 for teams that are working faster than the others.
The lesson uses the Rally Coach format, because I want students to support each other in carrying out the constructions. This activity is a great opportunity to see which students can read the instructions--written in the language and notation of geometry--for understanding. Some students will want to be shown how to perform the constructions. I push them to puzzle through the instructions with the help of their partner (MP1). Try something! I will answer specific questions and let the student know if they are going down the right track.
Resources (4)
Summarizing Regular Polygons
We summarize regular polygons with the help of the Guided Notes for the lesson.
Although we are not ready to prove that every regular polygon can be inscribed in a circle, later students will see that the rotational symmetry of a regular polygon guarantees that this must be so. In fact, the center of rotation of a regular polygon must be the center of a circle that passes through all the vertices of the polygon. The notes are intended to help students make a connection between regular polygons and circumscribing circles.
More on how I use Guided Notes can be found in my Strategies folder.
Resources (3)
Team Size-Up
Displaying the Lesson Close prompt, I ask students to summarize what they learned from the lesson with their team-mates, then select the best answer to write on the board. This activity follows our Team Size-Up routine.
Homework Set 1 problems #12 and 13 review the constructions of inscribed hexagons and quadrilaterals students learned in the lesson. For students who did not get as far, problem #14 (and later #20) introduce the constructions of inscribed triangles and octagons. Students will be able to refer to these problems on the unit quiz.


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By Eric Kelsey
LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - After nearly a decade of stalking the man and myth of J.D. Salinger, the reclusive American author director Shane Salerno kept returning to the writer's time amid the unrelenting bloodshed on World War Two's western front.
"The war made him an artist and broke him as a man. The war was really the transformative trauma of his life," Salerno, whose documentary "Salinger" opens in U.S. theaters on Friday, told Reuters.
"World War Two is the ghost in the machine of all of his stories," the director said about the "The Catcher in the Rye" author, best known for his small but mighty oeuvre.
So World War Two is where Salerno starts, lifting the lid on the troubles and traumas of literature's mystery man, who famously quit publishing at his peak in 1965 and lived out of the spotlight in a New Hampshire town until his death in 2010 at age 91.
"It's shocking how many true, devoted Salinger fans have no idea he served in World War Two or landed on D-Day, or lost the love of his life to Charlie Chaplin in a very interesting love triangle, or was in a mental institution," Salerno said.
Indeed, those were some of the devastating events in the ultra-private life of Salinger, who catapulted to literary and pop culture stardom in the 1950s and 1960s following the publication of "The Catcher in the Rye" in 1951.
The novel, which is narrated by teenage protagonist Holden Caulfield over a few days roving around New York following his latest prep school expulsion, has become a cultural touchstone of adolescent alienation, selling some 65 million copies since its publication and more than 250,000 annually.
Salerno's documentary interviews the author's friends, former lovers and those who knew him after he retreated from public view and never published again.
But the documentary, which is accompanied by a 700-page history of Salinger authored by Salerno and David Shields, also aims to tear down the myth surrounding the author of stories "Franny and Zooey" and "A Perfect Day for Bananafish."
"There was nothing reclusive about J.D. Salinger, nothing at all," Salerno said.
"What he was, was extremely private," he said. "And part of that privacy was to conceal a particular fascination with young, young girls. But he was not a recluse."
Salerno was able to coax Jean Miller, one of those young girls, to speak, but only following Salinger's death.
"She told an incredible story of this very special relationship and then had all of these extraordinary letters from Salinger," he said.
A teenage Miller met an adult Salinger in 1949 while both were vacationing in Daytona Beach, Florida, after the author, who had yet to publish "Catcher" and achieve fame, spotted her reading Emily Bronte's "Wuthering Heights."
"She had a very privileged view for those five years, from '49 to '54 and to tell this amazing story between a 30-year-old man and a 14-year-old girl that was a highly romantic, non-sexual relationship until she was of age," Salerno said.
"Salinger," the film and the book, pulls back the curtains on the author's marriages, digging up unseen divorce documents, and showing that Salinger traveled the world and often visited friends in New York.
But it also addresses the persistent question hanging above Salinger's legacy: did he, after abruptly quitting publishing, continue to write?
Salerno and his partner Shields said the answer is yes. Citing two independent sources, the pair claim Salinger has at least one novel, a novella and several short stories ready for publication, which will happen between 2015 and 2020.
So far, the agent for Salinger's literary estate, Phyllis Westberg, and his publisher, Little, Brown and Co, have yet to comment or confirm the existence of new work.
Any new work from Salinger, whose last story, "Hapworth 16, 1924" was published in The New Yorker magazine in June 1965, is likely to be one of the century's biggest literary events.
(Editing by Piya Sinha-Roy and Stacey Joyce)


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VeriSign iDefense researchers have identified the source of the recent cyber-assault against Google and have found the command-and-control servers that were used to orchestrate the attack.
Read the whole story
I guess I should remove the speculation from my comment in the last post on this topic. I still think the link between this and Google pulling out from China is weak at best. Why pull all of your business because China's government (or its agents) broke into your servers.
Make a big fuss about it?
Pull all of your business?
Something seems fishy.
Because its not safe to do biz in China maybe? because making all this noise exposes the Chinese leadership as the assholes they are? The official paper in China called google "spoiled children" for complaining about a government incited attack on their users and IP.
Fuck china.
I'd say I was surprised but that would be a lie...
Now this is funny.
Don't know if it is a coincidence or something else, but since I commented on yesterday's recap, my blogger account has been constantly spammed with .cn comments that read like poems (along the lines of '愛情不是')
One thing is for sure, I'm not opening PDF files anymore...
I don't think it's fishy at all. Doing business in China means cooperating very closely with the Chinese government and their laws (see the last Ars articles about this story, it paints a pretty clear picture). If that government, which is forcing companies to do things like censor web results and turn over emails, is ALSO conducting an espionage campaign against you, why even bother? Is the market really worth that much?
It's clear that any company operating within China is going to be a) forced to check its ethics code at the door, and b) spied upon.
Interesting correlation from iDefense. It makes me wonder why we don't hear similar saber rattling from Chinese corporations getting cyberwarred on by the US.
A friend said maybe china isn´t that lucrative to google/it is loosing to baidu, so instead of just closing the offices it is doing some PR
"If the report's findings are correct, it suggest that the government of China has been engaged for months in a massive campaign of industrial espionage against US companies."
I am shocked! Shocked to find out that the Chinese government is actuallly engaging in industrial espionage!
Because either we aren't doing anything like that to China (yea right), or most likely because our haxors are better than the Chinese ones
Then this was just the straw that broke the camels' back? Google knew this going in and bent to their rules. We know that they never really liked to do it, but from a business perspective it was hard to argue against getting a foot in the door of such a huge market. Now the Chinese government hacks some emails using PDFs and they have had enough?
This. How much does the US government do this sort of thing to keep tabs on its citizens and foreign nationals for "terrorism"? I just assume it's a lot, which makes the whole thing at least a little bit hypocritical to me.
That, and the fact that there is probably much less IP to steal in the first place on the industrial espionage front and most suspect individuals that may attract the US government atention are probably not storing anything of interest on Chinese-owned/hosted services.
The bottom line is no doubt that Google wasn't making money in China because of their position vs Baidu, and they are continually losing credibility points on their "Do No Evil" campaign when they cooperate in not only censoring their searches but also in exposing Chinese dissidents.
That Microsoft and Yahoo and other search engines are now scrambling to un-censor their searches if Google were to succeed only proves the point.
I just checked my email logs, and this was too late. My gmail account got haxored in August. I wish I could blame it on China (I still can't figure out how I got cracked).
I really see no correlation between Google's new stance on the Chinese censorship and these attacks. It's a novelty discussion piece and really that's about all.
because, business is dangerous with china and for a few years, the china government is more and more adamant to control any foreign investment.
it's NOT a free market at all. US. is not there to be gentle, and china is actively in business to copy and tomorrow to create themselves. Soon, china regulations will be so complex than foreign enterprise will be forced to leave.
If China again try to take control of Taiwan, all will be obvious.
Last time I went looking for cutting edge tech or parts I did not even look at anything chinese. Japan, germany, and US, but not china. What non-military information would we want to steal?
The only surprising thing about this is that it's being openly discussed. I imagine that both the US government and most of the corporations involved would rather this have stayed out of the public eye. What I think is more interesting is that I don't think the Chinese government cares in the slightest whether this is openly reported in the rest of the world. They appear to have reached a point where their production capacity is so well rooted into Western economies that they don't believe there will be any repercussions to their actions, whether that means massive industrial espionage, lead paint on children's toys, toothpaste with diethylene glycol in it, or children's jewelry made primarily from cadmium.
Last edited by sdk on Sat Apr 14, 2012 1:57 pm
I will tell you that quite a few large corps that myself and some friends of mine work in are having issues with China attempting to hack into to our networks and steal data.
This is a daily occurrence.
nbs2: How does one check their logs? How can we tell if we have been compromised?
Google stands to gain more business and good will in the rest of the world by pulling out of China than it has to lose. Unlike in the US, Google is not the lead search engine in China, and it only makes about $600 million in China.
I'm not going to deny that the US does or would not hack China, but it is nowhere near the blatant hacking and other practices conducted by the likes of North Korea and China on a daily basis. When you have a chance, install some kind of network monitoring software on your home PC. I think you will be surprised by all of the pinging and network traffic from Chinese and North Korean IPs.
Political maneuvering. If you don't play the game by acceptable rules, we stop playing the game. We might come back if you promise to play by different rules.
China has been extremely arrogant. They needed to be embarrassed (how do they plausibly explain to their people why Google doesn't want to do business there?) to bring them back down to earth a little.
Google might like to have a foot in China, but they don't *need* to be there. They don't *need* to compete with Baidu.
I don't think the personal email cracking is the central issue here (although it certainly makes for good PR back home) -- it's the industrial espionage that is intolerable.
So how do you check to see if your computers have been compromised by the Chinese PDF attack? How do you check your Gmail account to see if it was compromised?
- AndrewZ
From what Google translate tells me, there market share was rising, and they were making roughly 600 million yearly. This is not a market you would leave, not one that is growing. Just to put any "Google leaving bad market" rumors in perspective. Found with Baidu ironically.
Notably, Google stock dropped a bit, but now its close to being back around 590, which is where it was Tuesday mid-day (before the announcement). So I don't think they have much to lose financially.
Its going to be a rough year for Adobe - Acrobat and Flash are going to be hacked to death.
And for the love of God, DO NOT OPEN PDFs from people who you don't know or aren't expecting one from.
I once heard about something that this cyber cafe does that should become common practice at businesses, government, and universities: every day they reloaded the operating system.
Based on this and my experience, I'd say the chances that any key business, university, or even government agency (with the exception of a few highly secretive and technologically advanced) that is of interest to China has about a 100% chance of having a trojan horse loaded onto at least one of their PCs.
It is time to stop fooling ourselves. We used to treat espionage with long prison sentences because it is a direct threat to the US government and businesses. Now we've gotten into this 'ho-hum' attitude.
My Question is how do you respond to a cyber attack? Tighter security? I mean that will only go so far before you ask your Government to step in. I wonder how fast hacking will have the same consequences as someone punching you in the face.
When has Google ever exposed a Chinese dissident? It was my understanding that Google specifically avoided hosting any services in China that the government could use to identify and oppress dissidents. They do not have GMail or Blogger servers in China, and Chinese users of those services must sign in via "google.com" instead of "google.cn". This is in contrast to Yahoo!, which did (or still does) operate mail servers in China and was forced to turn over emails stored on those servers.
I thought it was just common knowledge the Chinese government was up to this? I've know people at two engineering companies that had Chinese citizens work there about three months, then just up and disappear one day with their company workstations wiped. I guess you don't hear about that kind of thing anymore because they just do it remotely.
Because, as has been noted in at least one other comment here, both governments have no doubt preferred to keep all such operations covert, and out of the public eye. It's generally negative PR, no matter which continent you're on. The interesting question is, has Google changed that? Is this story prominent enough in the media, worldwide, to cause China to launch a public volley in response? I doubt it, but will not die of shock if proved wrong.
Wow, they deliberately poison our children and try to hack our companies. Sounds like a great country to me.
Quoted for truth. Sweden had a really nasty habit of selling iron ore to Nazi Germany during WWII, collaborating with China in any way is just as bad.
Seriously. India is just next door, and isn't a crazed evil empire in the making - take your business there.
If one of your business partners broke into your house to steal information about your other clients would you continue to do business with him/her?
So what is industrial espionage?
An act of war? Something akin to tariffs? What is a proportional response?
I am stunned at the ignorance of some of these comments.
What is the motivation for these posts? Pro-China or anti-Google agendas? I don't get it. Why post such ignorant tripe?
Google pointing fingers at China, China pointing fingers at Google - shame, shame on Google and Adobe - neither is holding up their end for accountability and responsibility for their product - a child could exploit this known issue and both got caught with their pants down. As far as I'm concerned, China has the last laugh on this one, and Google and Adobe should not be mad, they should be embarrassed. Poorly written software with known unpatched exploits is a way of life in the USA. SSDD in the world of the big boys that don't, can't and refuse to ensure the quality and integrity of their own product.
Thanks, China, for once again exposing the inferiority of our Internet infrastructure and software made in the USA.
At the last company I worked at (before the meltdown), I always noticed China's IP's trying to get in on a daily basis. The company I worked at also opened a company in China for no other reason then GREED. Where is mccarthyism when you need it? No one should be supprised at China doing this crap. After all why create new tech when you can steal it. All buisnesses that operate in China only own half of the company. The Communist own the other half. The greedy buisnesses that move to China to increase their profits deserve everything they get in return. Screw China and lets stop then now before it's to late!
From the article:
"If the report's findings are correct, it suggests that the government of China has been engaged for months in a massive campaign of industrial espionage against US companies."
I think the big issue here is not the espionage itself, but the fact that the article (and the world in general) is treating this as some kind of massive surprise.
Or just use the Google Docs PDF viewer. (I realize the irony in this statement.)


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Mary Joan Moss
Mary Joan Moss, 73, of Amarillo, passed away, Tuesday, March 27, 2012.Mary Joan (Yeary) Moss was born Sunday, January 22, 1939 in Kingston, OK to Charles and Jane (Eddings) Yeary. She was a homemaker. Mary Joan married William "Bill" Moss on August 13, 1954 in Madill, OK. She is preceded in death by her parents; her husband, William "Bill" Moss; and two daughters, Mona Moss and Shannon Newman.Survivors include her son, Cecil Moss and wife Phyllis of Austin, TX; her daughter, Darlene Brooner of Amarillo, TX; three grandchildren, Rebecca Medley and husband Clancy of McKinney, TX, Belinda Brooner of Dallas, TX and Clint William Newman of Borger, TX; two great grandchildren, Orion William Medley of McKinney, TX and Amber Rose Medley of McKinney, TX; one brother, Calvin Yeary and wife Norma of Borger, TX; and one sister, Billie Yeary of Borger, TX.Graveside service will be held at 1:30PM, Friday, March 30, 2012 at Lieb Cemetery with Larry Laws, Elder of Central Terrace Congregation Jehovah's Witness officiating.Memorial service will be held at 6:00PM, Saturday, March 31, 2012 at the Central Terrace Congregation Jehovah's Witness in Amarillo, TX.Mrs. Moss will lie in state at Brown Chapel Of The Fountains in Borger, TX on Wednesday, March 28, 2012 from 8:00AM to 5:00PM, Thursday, March 29, 2012 from 8:00AM to 5:00PM and Friday, March 30, 2012 from 8:00AM to 12:00PM.Send personal condolences to www.brownfuneraldirectors.net.


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OT - Happy Opening Day
It's like Christmas day for us baseball fans. I've been up since 5:00 am.
Here's to Olde Detroit and the Tigers bringing the trophy back to the Motor City.
And if you pull for any other team, out of the good nature of Opening Day, good luck to you as well, and may the baseball gods smile on your favorite club from their lofty thrones!
Happy Opening Day, MGoCommunity!


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If you have a normal arch, you're likely a normal pronator, meaning you'll do best in a stability shoe that offers moderate pronation control. Runners with flat feet normally overpronate, so they do well in a motion-control shoe that controls pronation. High-arched runners typically underpronate, so they do best in a neutral-cushioned shoe that encourages a more natural foot motion.
Normal Pronation
The outside part of the heel makes initial contact with the ground. The foot "rolls" inward about fifteen percent, comes in complete contact with the ground, and can support your body weight without any problem. The rolling in of the foot optimally distributes the forces of impact. This movement is called "pronation," and it's critical to proper shock absorption. At the end of the gait cycle, you push off evenly from the front of the foot.
As with the "normal pronation" sequence, the outside of the heel makes the initial ground contact. However, the foot rolls inward more than the ideal fifteen percent, which is called "overpronation." This means the foot and ankle have problems stabilizing the body, and shock isn't absorbed as efficiently. At the end of the gait cycle, the front of the foot pushes off the ground using mainly the big toe and second toe, which then must do all the work.
Again, the outside of the heel makes initial contact with the ground. But the inward movement of the foot occurs at less than fifteen percent (i.e., there is less rolling in than for those with normal or flat feet). Consequently, forces of impact are concentrated on a smaller area of the foot (the outside part), and are not distributed as efficiently. In the push-off phase, most of the work is done by the smaller toes on the outside of the foot.


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The Lincoln Flats is the place for you.
For many downtown living is just that–a relaxing environment that has a mix for all we want and deserve. Lincoln Flats is that place.
Located at 13th and O Street in downtown Lincoln, the multi-million dollar Lincoln Flats has all of the key features that you need. From comfortable bedrooms, open living spaces, easy access to local shops of all kinds, Lincoln Flats makes your life easier.
A key fob allows residents access to the entry ways and the neatly designed elevator. There is also a skywalk to the attached parking garage.
How about having your friends over to watch the big game? A large party room is available at no additional cost with a fully equipped kitchen and big screen, satellite TV.
The heart of Lincoln
Maybe you just want to go grab a bite to eat at one of your favorite restaurants. Maybe you want to take a stroll to UNL's campus, take in the scenery or read a book on the open green space. At Lincoln Flats, it's all within walking distance. Maybe you just want to jump on your bike, find your way to Antelope Valley and get on the bike path. It's just a short distance away. Why deal with all of the hustle and bustle of the traffic when everything you need is really right here. And, of course, there is the local bar scene to spend your time socializing or maybe listening to music at a local hot spot venue. Being in the heart of Lincoln is the prime place to be.
You deserve this. You really do. It's a new life. An easier life. It's a true lifestyle. One that comes with fewer complications. Relax and enjoy your rewards. Lincoln Flats is the place to do it.


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Get train times
Buying in advance can help you save up to 43% vs. a non-Advance fare. Buy tickets below with Trainline – the UK's leading independent ticket retailer.
The average journey time between London Euston and Rhyl is 2 hours 48 minutes. The fastest journey time is 2 hours 46 minutes. On an average weekday, there are 48 trains per day travelling from London Euston to Rhyl. The journey time may be longer on weekends and holidays.
No, it is not possible to travel from London Euston to Rhyl without having to change trains. Use our journey planner above to get direct train times from London Euston to Rhyl.
The first train from London Euston to Rhyl departs at . The last train from London Euston to Rhyl departs at . No sleeper services are available. There may also be less services on weekends and public holidays; use the Journey Planner above to search for a specific train on your chosen travel date.
Find journey information for Rhyl to London Euston


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Jack Vanden Heuvel Lab
Research in the laboratory is in the emerging disciplines of Molecular Toxicology and Nutrigenomics.
We are interested in nuclear receptors (NR) such as the peroxisome proliferator-activated receptors (PPARs) that play important roles in both toxicology and nutrition.
Our laboratories are at the Center for Molecular Toxicology and Carcinogenesis (CMTC) on the third floor of the Life Sciences Building, rooms 320, 321, and 324 (get map).


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Not all breast changes mean you have breast cancer, but it's important to know what symptoms to be aware of.
Detecting breast cancer early can mean that treatment is more effective.
Knowing what your breasts normally feel like will help you to be aware of any abnormal changes.
However, not all changes are a sign of breast cancer. Some women have cysts or thickening of the breast tissue, which is normal.
According to Cancer Research UK, 9 out of 10 breast lumps are not cancer.
Read more about causes of breast lumps.
Learn what your breasts look and feel like. Their appearance and feel can change at different times of the menstrual cycle.
The milk-producing tissue in the breast becomes active in the days before a period starts.
Some women find that their breasts feel tender and lumpy at this time, especially near the armpits.
After a hysterectomy (removal of the womb), the breasts usually show the same monthly changes until the time your periods would have stopped naturally.
After the menopause, activity in the milk-producing tissue stops. Normal breasts can feel soft, less firm and not lumpy.
The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) says that being breast aware means:
Be aware of the following changes in your breasts that could signal breast cancer:
If you notice any of these changes, see your GP.
Watch videos of women talking about their breast cancer symptoms.
Watch videos of men talking about their breast cancer symptoms.
Many women worry that breast pain may be a sign of a serious condition. However, breast pain by itself is not a symptom of breast cancer, and breast pain does not increase your risk of developing breast cancer.


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General Education Requirements
The requirements and courses described in this section are approved for General Education for all students beginning continuous enrollment in Fall 1991 or later. Students who have maintained continuous enrollment from an earlier date and are completing earlier GE patterns should refer to the substitution list at the end of this section. Questions on GE requirements should be directed to the major adviser, who will refer the student to the Student Services Center if further clarification is needed.
- All students must complete 51 units of approved GE courses with letter grades. If a requirement is waived without unit credit, additional approved GE courses must be taken to complete a minimum of 48 GE units.
- All three areas, CORE GE, Advanced GE and American Institutions, must be completed by all students.
- Transfer students may satisfy all Core GE by completing an Intersegmental GE Transfer Curriculum (IGETC) or a CSU 39-unit breadth certification prior to transfer. Second baccalaureate students satisfy Core GE with their first baccalaureate.
- All students must satisfy Advanced GE at SJSU regardless of GE completed at other institutions. EXCEPTION: Written Communication II may be satisfied prior to transfer.
- If a course is listed as a sequence (AB), the entire sequence must be completed to satisfy the requirement.
- Written Communications and Mathematical Concepts courses require a minimum grade of C.
- To find approved courses, check the GE designator listed for the requirement. This designator is printed by each GE class section in the schedule of classes.
- All GE courses must be on the approved list of the California Community College (CCC), California State University (CSU), or University of California (UC) for CSU Breadth Requirements or the Intersegmental General Education Transfer Curriculum (IGETC) where and when the course is taken.
- The following GE courses require prerequisites to enroll:
- Written Communication IA and IB: English Placement Test (EPT)
- Mathematical Concepts: Entry Level Math Test (ELM)
- Advanced GE: Writing Skills Test (WST)


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Recipe Type: batter
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The University of Hawaiʻi Cancer Center will celebrate the grand opening of its new facility in Kakaʻako on Saturday, February 23, 2013.
The celebration marks the culmination of a project that broke ground in October 2010 and was completed $16 million under budget and three months ahead of schedule.
"There are so many people who worked together to make this building a reality," said University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa Chancellor Tom Apple. "The opening of this new building serves as a testament to the university's commitment to combating and hopefully finding a cure for this devastating disease."
Blessing and family-friendly science fair mark opening
The festivities will start with a blessing ceremony at 10 a.m. Keynote speakers include Nobel Laureate and University of California, San Francisco Professor Elizabeth Blackburn, American Association for Cancer Research Chief Executive Officer Margaret Foti and American Cancer Society Immediate Past President W. Phil Evans.
UH Cancer Center Director Michele Carbone will provide welcoming remarks, followed by dedication speeches by UH President M.R.C Greenwood and UH Mānoa Chancellor Tom Apple.
From 11:30 a.m. to 2 p.m., the center will host a family-friendly science fair that is open to the public. The fair will provide hands-on lessons about some of the research, diagnostic tools, preventative measures and clinical trials being performed by the center's faculty and staff.
In addition, there will be displays by the American Cancer Society, free skin cancer screenings by the Hawaiʻi Skin Cancer Coalition, hula demonstrations, Zumba and more.
Free parking is available on a limited basis at Kakaʻako Waterfront Park. All-day paid parking is available in the public lot adjacent to the Children's Discovery Center for $3.
World-class facility for cancer studies and clinical research
The six-story, 150,000-square-foot building consolidates all of the UH Cancer Center's programs under one roof and provides facilities for cancer biology, prevention and control, and epidemiology studies, as well as clinical and translational research.
Sustainability is a hallmark of the building, and the new facility has earned a LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) Gold Certification. Features include high-efficiency fixtures and occupant sensors to reduce electricity usage and potable water demand, and vegetated roof surfaces that help reduce the costs associated with air conditioning, reduce the heat island effect, retain storm water, provide insulating benefits, as well as extend the lifespan of the roof. Ten percent of all building materials are of recycled content and 10 percent of all building materials were extracted, harvested or recovered and manufactured within 500 miles of the project site, thereby supporting the use of indigenous resources and reducing the environmental impacts resulting from transportation.


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The Source
Mileage rate for 2013-14
June 19, 2013
Effective June 1 of each year, the College updates its standard rate to match the IRS published mileage rate at January 1 of that year.
For miles driven between June 1, 2013 and May 31, 2014 the College will pay a standard rate of $0.57 (57 cents) per mile.Mileage is to be based on the most direct route.
The College does not reimburse employees for commuting between home and campus.


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A pair of rare Chinese alligators. 100-year-old, watermelon-chomping Galapagos tortoises. A two-headed California kingsnake. A bird-snacking emerald tree boa. A turtle that vacuums up its prey.
Those are just a few of the 200 critters that creep, crawl, hop, slither and swim through the San Diego Zoo's new Reptile Walk, an imaginative $1.9 million presentation of amphibians and reptiles that opened July 4.
"It's a more aesthetic environment," said Tommy Owens, a senior keeper. "It's more welcoming to the public."
Owens, other keepers and curators described a variety of changes designed to improve on the aging, single-animal displays that used to house the reptiles and amphibians. It's built to make for a better experience for guests and staff alike
Visitors will like:
• Plasma lighting that is as close as possible to natural light.
• Complementary species engagingly housed in a variety of habitats.
• Open-air, outdoor displays of the larger lizards, turtles, tortoises as well as alligators and crocodiles.
Zoo keepers like:
• Habitats more conducive to breeding, one of the zoo's missions.
• Easier access to the habitats that allow keepers to more easily tend the animals.
Reptile Walk isn't the only place you'll see reptiles at the zoo – gharials recently joined the Asian displays in Tiger Canyon, rattlesnakes grace Elephant Odyssey and the historic Klauber-Shaw Reptile House is loaded with snakes and lizards, including a 10-foot Komodo dragon.
But Reptile Walk has the friendliest display for guests, with breathing space between the exhibits, a new collection of plants – including some rare species – and a natural flow from the smaller creatures to the larger.
A highlight of the walk is the exhibit of Galapagos tortoises. Seventeen animals from five islands comprise the largest collection in North America, said Jenna Ramsey, a senior keeper.
The exhibit was updated a couple of years ago and gives visitors a chance to see the massive shelled creatures up close. The tortoises are numbered and color-coded – red for the girls, white for the boys. The oldest (No. 5) is Speedy, now approaching 150 and no longer the quick-stepper of his youth.
Still, when munching Tuesday on a once-a-year holiday treat of watermelon, all of the tortoises were energetic. In addition to the sweet flavor, the bright red color apparently appeals to the tortoises, which have better color vision than humans.
The amphibian display includes a variety of frogs, including the highly colored poison frogs, a Mexican giant tree frog and the bright red tomato frog.
The turtle collection includes juvenile and adult matamatas, whose unusually shaped heads allow them to hide in litter along the floor of rivers and ponds. When they spy a passing fish, they inflate their massive throats, creating a vacuum that sucks the fish right in. A snorkel-like breathing tube on their snout allows them to remain under water much of the time. Also displayed are snake-necked turtles, more aggressive hunters that snap out their necks like snakes to snag fish.
The largest newcomers to the walk are the Chinese alligators. The female duo on display is on loan from other zoos, though San Diego hopes to secure a male for breeding. Chinese alligators have never been displayed in San Diego. In recent years, the species has become critically endangered due to the loss of much of their habitat.
Also new is a giant horned lizard from Mexico, a spiky creature that dines exclusively on ants. San Diego and Los Angeles are the only zoos to display them in North America. Open-air exhibits include an Anegada ground iguana and an Exuma Island iguana.
A mainstay of the exhibit is a two-headed snake. Owens said the zoo has a long tradition of displaying the creatures. The current one is a California kingsnake, whose two heads are fed separately to keep them from harming each other.
Owens said the two-headed snake helps draw in guests who might otherwise pass on the Reptile Walk.
Other indigenous snakes abound, including a San Diego gopher snake, a coastal rosy boa, a red coachwhip snake and a San Diego Mountain kingsnake.


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Media reactions
You can filter the media reactions by subject and/or by date.
LuxLeaks Whistleblowers guilty verdict a scandal
The guilty verdicts for two defendants in the #LuxLeaks whistleblowers trial means that tax dodgers will be emboldened.
New migration control plans will lead to the EU abandoning commitment to human rights
EU leaders are set to drop Europe's commitment to a foreign policy that defends universal values – especially human rights – in favour of a short-sighted migration control scheme, Oxfam says.
Super-rich are getting even richer, shows new World Wealth Report, with world's poorest left behind
Today's World Wealth Report from Capgemini shows that times have never been better for the world's wealthiest - since 2009 more than 4.5 million new millionaires have been created, rising to a total of 15.4 million millionaires across the world last year. Yet while the wealthy prosper, 702 million people living in extreme poverty are being left behind.
EU finance ministers unwilling to address tax avoidance
EU governments are unwilling to tackle large-scale tax avoidance of multinational companies, Oxfam says in reaction to a new directive formally approved today.
Belgium and Slovakia's refusal to compromise could sink Financial Transaction Tax warns Oxfam
The unrealistic demands of Belgium and Slovakia are undermining negotiations for a ground-breaking Financial Transaction Tax (FTT) said Oxfam today.
UN appears to fail Yemen's child victims by bowing to political power
Migration compact is attempt to outsource EU's obligation to respect human rights
With its new 'migration compact', the EU rewriting its foreign policy so that it serves the single objective of stopping people from coming to Europe, Oxfam said.
UN report on conflict and children highlights need for Yemen peace deal
UN report is yet more fresh evidence that countries such as the UK and US should halt reckless arms sales to all participants of Yemen's war.
G7 sides with tax dodgers leaving the public to pick up their bill
The measures announced in the G7 Leaders' Declaration today will give tax dodgers little cause for concern said Oxfam as the G7 Heads of the State Summit came to a close in Japan.
Bonn sets stage for climate change adaptation finance showdown
As climate talks in Germany wrap up, both poor and rich nations increasingly recognize that fixing the climate change adaptation funding gap, one of the biggest holes in the Paris Agreement, will be a major challenge at the next United Nations conference in Morocco.


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PHOENIX (AP) -- The Maricopa County Attorney's Office says it has no political motives in its decision to retry a woman charged with killing her 4-year-old son.
The agency denied such motivations when responding to Debra Milke's bid to disqualify the agency from the case.
Authorities say Milke dressed her son in his favorite outfit and told him he was going to see Santa Claus at a mall in 1989. He was later fatally shot by two men.
Her conviction was reversed by an appeals court that concluded prosecutors hadn't turned over evidence of a history of misconduct by a detective who handled the case.
Milke maintains she's innocent.
Milke contends the Sept. 30 retrial is likely being pursued, in part, for political reasons.
Prosecutors say Milke is being retried to seek justice.


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It's all about chance
Lesson 1 of 6
Objective: SWBAT use the language of probability to describe different events
Big Idea: The students will be learning about probability language and how it pertains to their lives.
Do NOW
For this experiment you will need 100 blue marbles and 25 green marbles in a paper bag.
We are going to do an experiment! Let's try and find out, without looking in the bag and counting, whether there are more blue or more green marbles in the bag. Randomly choose four students to draw 5 marbles each from the bag. (make sure marbles are returned to the bag after each draw). Have the other students record the numbers and colors of marbles for each of the four draws.
Think – Pair-share (using the following questions)
Based on the first 4 draws, can we determine how many marbles of each color are in the bag?
Next, allow the rest of the students to choose 5 marbles from the bag (be sure to return the marbles to the bag) record the results and ask the following questions.
What are the totals for each color of marbles?
Do you think there were more marbles of one color than the other?
If so, what do you think the ratio of one color to the other might be?
Finally, open the bag and count the number of marbles of each color.
Ask the students to determine the ratio of one color to the other color?
Ask students to draw a conclusion about the ratio of blue marbles to green marbles? (The probability of drawing a blue marble is four times greater than drawing a green one.) Allow students to come up with other statements like it is more likely to draw a blue marble than a green marble. Or it is unlikely to draw a green marble out of the bag.
SMP 1 and 3
Resources (4)
Learning about probabilty
In this part of the lesson, I'm going to be introducing/reinforcing the language of probability. In the do now activity, students may have already been using words like likely, unlikely, certain or impossible. Ask them if they have ever heard these words in real life? (weather, lottery, events) Use the power point to facilitate the discussion on probability
Slide 3 shows the probability of even occurring using percents. Ask the students what they are looking at when determining probability. (I want them to see that probability is placed on a number line and that the closer to zero or 1 will determine whether an event will or will not occur). I also want them to see that probabilities can be written as fractions, decimals, or percents because of the use of a number line.
Slide 4: Using the questions from this slide have students use white boards to show their answers. This is a good way to formally assess whether or not they are getting the language of probability.
Slide 5 is a review of changing from Fractions to decimals to percents. Before showing slide 5, you could review this orally with the students to see if they can recall this information on their own. I may even use a think-pair-share to hold them accountable for the reasoning. Once you have gone through all of the conversions, show them slide 5 and have them make notes of this in their notes.
Slide 6 has them using the conversions. Again, white boards would be good to use to formally assess student understanding.
Resources (5)
Numbered Heads Together
Once the direct instruction has been completed, it will be time to work with our tablemates during a Numbered Heads Together activity.
Questions 1 – 6 ask the students to determine if the probability is certain, likely, as likely as not, unlikely, or impossible. Students may come up with different responses so I'm going to be encouraging and listening to them reason out their thoughts. Before I call a color to show me their answer, I will ask them to justify their answer (SMP 3)
Questions 7 – 11 ask the students to write their probabilities as fractions, decimals, or percents. The students will need to show their work when solving these problems. I will be looking for this on their white boards when they show me their answers. If work is not shown, then they will need to tell me in writing how they figured it out.
Resources (2)
Resources (2)
Students will be working on coming up with a scenario that represents the following situations: certain, likely, as likely as not, unlikely, and impossible. I want them to come up with an event to represent each. Have students work alone before sharing with a partner. When students are sharing with their partners, I'm anticipating that there will be a lot of conversation about impossible and certain. When listening and advising students about when events are deemed to be certain or impossible it would be a good idea to pose a counter example. Some scenarios can be used for whole group discussion. (SMP 3)
For example:
- Think of an event that is certain will happen(60 minutes in an hour, 24 hours in a day, 7 days in a week)
- Think of an event that is impossible to happen (61 minutes in an hour, 8 days in a week)
- Think of an event that is as likely as not to happen (flipping a coin, you are either a boy or a girl)
Next, the students will be writing an equivalent to .8 as a fraction and a percent. Have them show their work to support their answer and then share their answers with a partner.